Protector for telephone or telegraph instruments.



' APatntad May 2l,` I90l. v J.-PIEL. PRDTEGTUR FDR TELEPHONE 0R TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS. (Application led Nov. 2, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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. J. Plan.. PRUTECTUB FOB TELEPHONE 0R TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS.

(Application Bled Nov. 2, 1900.) (Nollodel.) 2Shaets-Shaat 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

JEAN PIEL, OF SCI'INEBERG, NEAR BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR` TO AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT MIX dt GENEST, rPELEPHON- UND TELE- GRAPI-IEN-WERKE, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

PROTECTOR FOR TELEPHONE OR TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 674,541, dated May 21, 1901.

Appiicason ined November 2, 1900. serai No. 35,285. No man.)

To @ZZ whom, it ntay concern,.-

Beit known that I, JEAN PIEL, a sulojectoi:` the King of Prussia, Emperor of Germany, Iresiding at Schneberg, near Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, Germany, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Protectors kfor Telephone or Telegraph Instruments, (for which I have applied for a patent in Germany, which application was filed October 17, 1900,) of which the following is a specification.

The electric-current protectors known as heat-coils or sneak-current protectors show the great inconvenience thaty when brought into action by sneak-currents they interrupt the circuit, as they are supposed' to do, but unfortunately leaving only a scarcelyvisible mark ofthe performedaction. Thus the great disadvantage arises, especially in telephone central `oflices,y Where an immense number of similar protecting devices are crowded together, that the burning out of a heat-coil passes unnoticed until the operators inability to reach a subscriber or the latters complaint to the oce reveals the fact. 4

In order to obviate the above-mentioned incon veniences, I avail myself of the well-known spring-controlling heat-coils, which when entering into action release a spring-blade or spring-controlled lever, in combination with a mechanical contrivance provided with an electrical contact-making device, in sncha way that any one of a certain `number of said springs or levers belonging to one group will be enabled to set the said mechanical contrivance into motion, thus making an electrical contact that may actnate in the Well-known manner an annunciator, a bell, or a register.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is the end elevation, and Fig. 2 the top view, of a well-known multiple-carbon lightning-arrester With sneak-cnrrent'-pr0tectors and the special alarm device that forms the object of the present application. Fig. Bis a representation of theapparatus in connection with an i ends of which are soldered tothe spindle and lthe coil 'wwhen above normal intensity and gradually soften the solder until the spring- Vblades will pull out the headpiece 10 of the spindle q, thus interrupting the circuit. On a base b, Figs. 1 and 2, a certain number of such heat-coils are set in rows,together with carbon lightning ari-esters, c and c' being carbon plates and e e the ground-bar. A light swinging frame formed ofan axis fnlcrumed at Ct and a', of the arms ff', and the rod r, covered with an insulating-tube fy, is slightly pressed b ya springm against the row of spring-blades s. As soon as one of the spring-bladess is released it Will jump against the rod r of the swinging frame, overcome the spring m, and imparting an angular movement to the frame bring the linger d of the latter into contact ywith the plate g, thus closing the local alarmcircuit, as shown in Fig. 3. The above-described contact device Will constitute a useful subsidiary means for maintaining a central oiice in Working order ata low expense, as for each group of ifty circuits only one contact device and one signaling device (drop, dto.) is required. It offers, moreover, the great advantage of allowing the inclosure of the line-protectors in boxes, as the hitherto necessary and tiresome visual inspection of them is rendered superuous, the annunciator indicating instantaneously the right box where the burning out takes place, it being very easy for the attendant to locate the burned-out coil in that one box. y

I am perfectly aware that heatcoils similar to the abovedescribed have already been provided With contacts, one point being on the spring s and the other justin front ata small distance lfrom it, either on separated posts or on a common bar running throughout the whole length of a group. This has proved to be Aimpractical for economical and technical IOO reasons, the .use of individual contacts for each spring-blade necessitating an equivalent l number of local circuits, a connection of them vzo in multiple being not feasible on account of the resulting cross-connections between lines or instruments. On the other hand, the insulation of each contact-point from the spring s and the use of a common bar as a second contact-point, which would allow their connection in multiple without cross-connecting the lines, would be prohibitive on account of the technical difficulties encountered and the immense expense.

I do not wish to limit the application of the above-described vcontact device to heat-coils only, but would expressly state that it may as well be used in connection with fuse-wires. Neither do I limit the application of the mechanical contrivance to electric-circuit clos.

l.v The combination ofV a series of springcontrolling current-protectors,` with a `mef chanical contrivance, independent from the current-protectors, appropriate to be moved to and fro, and arranged'in the proximity of said series of current-protectors in such a manner, that it could'be set in motion by any single one of said series of current-protectors, and means to produce asignal by the moving of said mechanical contrivance, substantially as and for the purpose set-forth.

2. The combination of a series of springcontrolling current-protectors, with a swing ing frame, adapted tobe set in motion by any one of the springs of the said current-protectors, Whenever any one of the latter enters into action, a contact-making device attached to said frame, an electrical circuit subject to A an annunciator inclosed in said circuit, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my Witnesses:

vWOLDEMAR HAUPT, l HENRY HASPER. ,y 

